December 12
1833 Bishop Louis Valentin DuBourg died at the age of 66. Bishop DuBourg supported
the re-establishment of the Jesuits here, laid the foundation for the cathedral, and opened
St. Louis College, the forerunner of Washington University.
1839 A last minute truce averted a war between Missouri and Iowa. The border dispute
began when the Clark County Sheriff tried to collect taxes along the disputed state line.
He was thrown in jail by Iowa authorities. Both Missouri and Iowa called out the militia.
But "The Honey War" was settled before there was any fighting.
1840 Mayor John Darby purchased six acres from the heirs of Pierre Chouteau, under the
condition that it be used “as a public square forever.” His $25,000 deal caused some to
refer to the area bounded by Market, Clark, 12th and 13th Streets as “Darby’s Ditch.” The
area was known as Washington Square until an 1890 ordinance made it the site of the
new City Hall. Construction began in 1892 and was City Hall was completed in 1904.
1861 General Halleck, Commander of the Union Department of the West, ordered that
$10,000 be collected from wealthy Southern sympathizers in St. Louis. A board of
assessment would decide how much each person would pay. The order was clearly
unconstitutional, but most paid up and agreed to take a loyalty oath.
1867 The town of Marissa, Illinois was laid out by James Stewart. The town postmaster
gave it the name of a historic town. According to Latin records, Gabinius destroyed the
original Marissa.
1873 Enterprising downtown merchants organized a ferry service--across the street! The
first boat was launched at Third and Washington, "where the current of mud ran deepest
and most rapid." The boat, which could hold several people, was pulled across the street
by ropes.
1878 The first issue of the St. Louis Post and Dispatch hit the streets, just days after
Joseph Pulitzer bought the bankrupt Dispatch at an auction. The four page first issue
edition had a press run of